Month: December 2016

We have only a few days left in 2016. As you reflect on the year, how would you rate it? Was it among your top five years, bottom five years, or somewhere in between (or don’t you even want to think about it)?

It’s not time to lament what could have, should have, or would have been. Rather, put your energy into what you’d like to achieve next year. It’s time to focus on what’s next rather than what hasn’t been.

Think about what worked well that you’d like to continue doing. Do more of those things and make sure that you make the time to do them. When we get busy or overwhelmed, our positive activities have a strange habit of sneaking lower on the priority list. Don’t let this happen!

Last Sunday CBS Sunday Morning featured a segment on the Harmony Project, a non-profit organization in Columbus, Ohio whose mission is to connect people across social divides through the arts, education, and volunteer community service. Its goal is to create a community in harmony.

The 225-member community choir uses music as a tool to strengthen the voices of individuals while creating a collective voice for the greater community.

This story resonated with me in sharp contrast to the divisive environment that has dominated the news and crept into our lives personally. We need reminders of our humanity, and this story accomplishes this.

This December has seemed more hectic than any in my recent memory. And I know it’s not just me. People are frantically trying to wrap up the year at a whirlwind pace. I see this with my clients, my colleagues, and my friends.

I’m going to share some “tips for the overwhelmed” that can help you stay sane during this second half of December.

Stop obsessing about what you haven’t done or have to do. That’s a waste of time. Instead, it’s much better to take action. Review your list of priorities (priorities, not every task that you didn’t complete this year) and rank them in importance.

Last Sunday, The New York Times republished a 2014 article, “Why You Hate Work”. Among other things, the article summarizes the results of a survey conducted by one of the authors, and reinforced challenges of employee engagement in the workplace.

They cited four things that make a difference in employee engagement and productivity.

1. Renewal – the ability to take breaks to refresh. A notable quote: “feeling encouraged by one’s supervisor to take breaks increases by nearly 100 percent people’s likelihood to stay with any given company, and also doubles their sense of health and well-being.”